Bharatiya Janata Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bharatiya Janata Party
Abbreviation	BJP
President	J. P. Nadda
Parliamentary Chairperson	Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)
Lok Sabha leader	Narendra Modi (Leader of the House in Lok Sabha)
Rajya Sabha leader	Piyush Goyal (Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha)
Founder	Atal Bihari Vajpayee & Lal Krishna Advani
Founded	6 April 1980 (45 years ago) (1980-04-06)
Split from	Janata Party
Preceded by	Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1951–1977) Janata Party (1977–1980)
Headquarters	6-A, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, New Delhi, Delhi, India
Newspaper	Kamal Sandesh (English and Hindi) Kamal Barta (Bengali)
Student wing	Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (unofficial)
Youth wing	Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha
Women's wing	BJP Mahila Morcha
Labour wing	Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh
Peasant's wing	BJP Kisan Morcha
Ideology	Conservatism (Indian) Neoliberalism Integral humanism Hindutva Hindu nationalism Right-wing populism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
International affiliation	Asia Pacific Democracy Union
Colours	Saffron
ECI Status	National Party
Alliance	National Democratic Alliance (All India) North-East Democratic Alliance (Northeast India)
Seats in Lok Sabha	240 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha	97 / 245 (240 MPs & 5 Vacant)
Seats in State Legislative Assemblies	1,484 / 4,036 (4013 MLAs & 23 Vacant) (see complete list)
Seats in State Legislative Councils	165 / 426 (403 MLCs & 23 Vacant) (see complete list)
Number of states and union territories in government	20 / 31 (28 States and 3 UTs)
Election symbol
Lotus
Party flag
Elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a major political party in India. It is one of the two biggest parties, along with the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, the BJP has been the ruling party in India. Its current leader and the Prime Minister is Narendra Modi.

The BJP is a right-wing party. It is closely connected to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a volunteer group. The party follows an idea called Hindutva, which is a form of Hindu nationalism. As of 2024, the BJP is the largest political party in India. It has the most members in the Parliament of India and in state governments.

The party started from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which was formed in 1951. After a period of emergency rule in India (1975–1977), the Jana Sangh joined other parties to create the Janata Party. This new party won the 1977 election. However, the Janata Party broke up in 1980. The former Jana Sangh members then formed the modern-day BJP.

At first, the BJP did not win many seats. In the 1984 election, it won only two seats. But the party grew stronger, especially with its focus on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. After winning state elections and doing better in national elections, the BJP became the largest party in Parliament in 1996. However, its government, led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, only lasted for 13 days.

After the 1998 election, the BJP formed a group called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This group, led by Prime Minister Vajpayee, formed a government that lasted one year. After new elections, the NDA government, again led by Vajpayee, stayed in power for a full five-year term. This was the first time a non-Congress government completed a full term.

In the 2004 election, the NDA lost unexpectedly. For the next ten years, the BJP was the main opposition party. In 2014, Narendra Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat, led the party to a big victory. Modi has been India's Prime Minister since then. He was re-elected with a majority in 2019 and with a coalition in 2024. As of 2023, the NDA alliance governs 17 Indian states and union territories.

The BJP's official idea is called integral humanism. This idea was first explained by Deendayal Upadhyaya in 1965. The party supports social conservatism and a foreign policy based on nationalist ideas. When it first governed nationally, the BJP focused on economic policies that encouraged globalization and economic growth. Since returning to power in 2014, the BJP government has focused on some of the RSS's goals. This includes changing laws about Jammu and Kashmir.

Party Name, Symbol, and Colors

BJP flag being flown in one of its campaign rallies.

The founders of the party chose its name and symbol. "Bharatiya Janata Party" means "Indian People's Party." The party's symbol is the Lotus flower. The lotus is important in Indian culture and Hinduism. It is seen as a symbol of peace and good fortune. During India's fight for independence, Indian nationalists used the lotus as a symbol of protest against British rule. The lotus is also the national flower of India. Using this symbol helps the party connect with national and Hindu ideas.

The BJP also uses the saffron color a lot in its materials and campaigns. Saffron is also very important in Hinduism. The party's flag is mostly saffron with a green stripe on the left. The lotus symbol is also on the saffron part of the flag. This color design helps the party look like a secular party. At the same time, it helps the party keep a religious feel for its main voters and Hindu nationalist supporters.

Early History

Bharatiya Jana Sangh (1951–1977)

Important Leaders

Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Lal Krishna Advani, a key leader of the Jana Sangh

The BJP started from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, also known as the Jana Sangh. Syama Prasad Mukherjee founded it in 1951. It was formed with help from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist group. The Jana Sangh was seen as the political part of the RSS. The Jana Sangh wanted to protect India's Hindu culture. It also wanted to oppose what it saw as favoritism towards Muslims and Pakistan by the Congress party.

The Jana Sangh won only three seats in the first general elections in 1952. It remained a small party in parliament until 1967. Important leaders like Deendayal Upadhyaya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Lal Krishna Advani helped build the party. During this time, the party focused on ideas like having a common set of laws for all citizens, banning cow slaughter, and changing the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

After state elections in 1967, the Jana Sangh joined other parties to form governments in states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. This was the first time the Jana Sangh held political office, even if it was in a coalition.

Janata Party (1977–1980)

In 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency. The Jana Sangh protested this, and many of its members were put in jail. In 1977, the emergency ended, and new elections were held. The Jana Sangh joined with other parties to form the Janata Party. Their main goal was to defeat Indira Gandhi.

The Janata Party won the 1977 election and formed a government with Morarji Desai as Prime Minister. The former Jana Sangh members made up the largest part of the Janata Party in parliament. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who led the Jana Sangh, became the Minister of External Affairs.

However, the Janata Party faced problems. Some members wanted the former Jana Sangh members to separate from the RSS, but they refused. The Janata Party eventually broke apart. In 1980, new elections were held, and the Janata Party did not do well. After this, the former Jana Sangh members left to create a new political party, which became the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Party History

Formation and Early Days

Important Leaders

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first president of the Bharatiya Janata Party

The new BJP was officially different from the Jana Sangh, but most of its members were the same. Atal Bihari Vajpayee became its first president. In the early 1980s, there was a lot of tension between different religious groups in India. The BJP first tried to be more moderate to attract more people. It focused on ideas like Gandhian socialism.

However, this approach was not successful. In the 1984 elections, the BJP won only two seats in the Lok Sabha. This was partly because Indira Gandhi was assassinated a few months earlier, which led to a lot of support for the Congress party.

Ram Janmabhoomi Movement

Ram Rath Yatra

Because the moderate approach didn't work, the BJP changed its focus to a stronger form of Hindu nationalism. In 1984, Advani became the party president. Under his leadership, the BJP became the main political voice for the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.

In the 1980s, a group called the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) started a campaign. They wanted to build a temple for the Hindu god Rama at the site of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya. There was a disagreement about whether a temple had been there before the mosque was built. The campaign was based on the belief that this site was Rama's birthplace. The BJP supported this campaign and made it a key part of their election promises. In 1989, the BJP won 86 Lok Sabha seats.

In September 1990, Advani started a journey called a Rath Yatra to Ayodhya to support the temple movement. This journey used religious and strong imagery. Advani was arrested, but many volunteers still went to Ayodhya. Some attacked the mosque, leading to clashes. The BJP then stopped supporting the government, which led to new elections. The BJP won even more seats, reaching 120, and also won a majority in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly.

On December 6, 1992, a large rally of VHP and BJP activists gathered at the mosque site. The rally turned into an attack, and the mosque was torn down. This led to violence between Hindus and Muslims across the country, killing many people. The government temporarily banned the VHP, and many BJP leaders were arrested.

In the 1996 elections, the BJP used the strong feelings from these events to win 161 Lok Sabha seats. This made it the largest party in parliament. Vajpayee became Prime Minister, but his government resigned after only 13 days because it could not get enough support.

In 2019, the Supreme Court of India made a decision about the Ayodhya dispute. Following this, the government announced a trust to build the temple. On January 22, 2024, the Ram Mandir was officially opened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the ceremony.

Vajpayee Era (1996–2004)

After a short-lived government by other parties, new elections were held in 1998. The BJP formed a group called the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with other parties. The NDA won enough seats, and Vajpayee became Prime Minister again. However, this government also broke apart in 1999, leading to more elections.

On October 13, 1999, the NDA won 303 seats in parliament, giving them a clear majority. The BJP won its highest number of seats ever, 183. Vajpayee became Prime Minister for the third time. This NDA government lasted for its full five-year term. Its policies included a stronger focus on defense and fighting terrorism, and economic policies that encouraged free markets.

In Opposition (2004–2014)

Vajpayee called for early elections in 2004. The NDA's campaign used the slogan "India Shining" to show how the country was growing economically. However, the NDA lost unexpectedly. The Congress and its allies won more seats. Manmohan Singh became the new Prime Minister. Many people thought the NDA lost because it did not connect enough with people in rural areas.

In May 2008, the BJP won state elections in Karnataka. This was the first time the party won state elections in any South Indian state. In the 2009 general elections, the BJP's number of seats in the Lok Sabha went down to 116.

Modi Era (2014–Present)

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India since 2014

Amit Shah has been a long-serving National President of the BJP

First Modi Government (2014–2019)

In the 2014 Indian general election, the BJP won 282 seats. This led the NDA to a total of 336 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha. Narendra Modi became the 14th Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014. This was the first time since 1984 that a single party won a clear majority in the Indian Parliament.

Many reasons are given for this victory, including Modi's popularity. The BJP also gained support from middle-class people and other groups, not just its traditional supporters. After winning, the BJP became more centralized with Modi in charge. Amit Shah, a close friend of Modi, became the president of the BJP in 2014.

During Modi's first term, the BJP grew stronger in several states where it had been a smaller party. It also regained power in other states. The party's influence increased in states like Assam, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Second Modi Government (2019–2024)

In 2019, the BJP won the general election with an even bigger majority. Soon after, on August 5, 2019, the Modi government changed the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This region had been given some self-rule under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The government also changed Jammu and Kashmir from a state into two smaller areas called union territories.

Later in 2019, the Modi government introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. This law changed how people could become Indian citizens. It offered a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, or Christians. These were people who had fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan before December 2014. However, Muslims from those countries were not included. This was the first time religion was openly used as a reason for citizenship in Indian law.

Party Ideas and Policies

The BJP is often described as a right-wing party. More recently, it has been called a far-right party.

Social Policies and Hindutva

The BJP's main idea is "Integral humanism." This idea was developed by Deendayal Upadhyaya in 1965. The party also supports Hindutva, an idea from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The party says Hindutva is about Indian culture, not just one religion. However, many scholars say Hindutva tries to make India a Hindu country, leaving out other religions.

The BJP's Hindutva ideas have influenced many of its government policies. It supports building the Ram Mandir temple at the disputed site of the Babri Mosque. This was a major election promise in 1991. The government also changed school textbooks. Some scholars say these changes tried to make Indian history more "saffron" (Hindu nationalist).

The BJP has strong ties with the RSS. The RSS helps the BJP in elections. The Modi government has also appointed many people connected to the RSS to important government jobs.

The BJP supports a uniform civil code. This would mean one set of personal laws for all citizens, no matter their religion. Currently, laws vary by religious community. The BJP also supported changing Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. In 2019, this special status was removed.

The BJP is against illegal immigration from Bangladesh. The party says this migration threatens India's security and economy. Critics point out that the BJP calls Hindu migrants from Bangladesh "refugees" but calls Muslim migrants "illegal."

The Modi government is against same-sex marriage. It has stated that legalizing it would disrupt the balance of personal laws in the country.

Economic Policies

The BJP's economic policies have changed over time. In the 1980s, it supported swadeshi (promoting local industries) and protecting Indian products. However, it also supported opening up the economy within India.

When the BJP was in government from 1998 to 2004, it moved away from protectionism and towards globalisation. It allowed more foreign companies into India. This government also reduced government control over businesses and sold off some government-owned companies. India's economic growth increased a lot during this time. The 2004 campaign slogan "India Shining" was based on the idea that free markets would bring wealth to everyone.

Modi's government has focused on opening up the economy and privatization. It has allowed more foreign direct investment in industries like defense and railways. Some proposed changes to labor laws were met with protests. Modi's government has also been described as taking a more protectionist approach to international trade in its second term.

Defence and Counterterrorism

The BJP has a strong and nationalistic view on defense and terrorism. The Vajpayee government conducted nuclear weapons tests in 1998. It also passed the Prevention of Terrorism Act after a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. This law aimed to help the government fight terrorism.

The Vajpayee government also ordered Indian forces to remove Pakistani soldiers from Kashmir territory in the Kargil War of 1999.

The Modi government has carried out strikes in neighboring countries to fight terrorism. This includes operations in Myanmar in 2015 and airstrikes in Pakistan in 2016 and 2019. It also helped Bhutan during a standoff with China in 2017.

In August 2019, the Modi government created a new position called the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). This was done to improve coordination between the army, navy, and air force.

Foreign Policy

The BJP's historical foreign policy, like the Jana Sangh's, was based on strong Hindu nationalism. It was against the idea of India being divided. This strong feeling against Pakistan still influences the BJP's ideas. During the Cold War, the party wanted closer ties with the United States, unlike India's policy of not taking sides.

The Vajpayee government's foreign policy was different in some ways. In 1998, Vajpayee visited Pakistan and started a bus service between Delhi and Lahore. He signed the Lahore Declaration to improve relations with Pakistan. However, Pakistani soldiers were found in Kashmir a few months later, leading to the Kargil War. Despite the war, Vajpayee continued to try to talk with Pakistan.

The Vajpayee government also supported the U.S. War on Terror. This led to closer defense ties with the US. However, the BJP strongly criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The Modi government first tried to improve relations with Pakistan. Modi visited Pakistan in 2015. But relations later became difficult. The Modi government has since taken a tough approach towards Pakistan. In 2015, the Modi government was accused by Nepal of blocking its borders. The Modi government has remained neutral on the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Party Structure

A diagram of the structure of the Bharatiya Janata Party

The BJP has a clear structure, with the president as the highest leader. A president can serve for a maximum of two terms.

Below the president is the National Executive. This group includes senior leaders from across the country and makes important decisions for the party. It has vice-presidents, general-secretaries, treasurers, and secretaries who work with the president. Similar structures exist at the state, regional, district, and local levels.

In April 2015, the BJP said it had over 100 million registered members. This would make it one of the world's largest political parties. As of 2022, the party does not have any Muslim representatives in parliament or state assemblies.

The BJP works closely with other groups that share similar ideas. These groups are often called the Sangh Parivar. They include:

• The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (students' group)
• The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (farmers' group)
• The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (labor union)

The party also has its own groups for different sections of society:

• The BJP Mahila Morcha (women's group)
• The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (youth group)
• The BJP Minority Morcha (minority group)

Election Results

The Bharatiya Janata Party was founded in 1980. It first ran in a general election in 1984, winning only two seats. In 1996, the BJP became the largest party in the Lok Sabha for the first time. In 2014, it won a clear majority in parliament. Since 1991, a BJP member has been the Opposition Leader when the party was not in power.

Year	Legislature	Party leader	Seats contested	Seats won	Change in seats	Percentage of votes	Vote swing	Outcome	Ref.
1984	8th Lok Sabha	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	229	2 / 543	2	7.74%	New	Opposition
1989	9th Lok Sabha	Lal Krishna Advani	225	85 / 543	83	11.36%	3.62%	Outside support for NF
1991	10th Lok Sabha		477	120 / 543	35	20.11%	8.75%	Opposition
1996	11th Lok Sabha	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	471	161 / 543	41	20.29%	0.18%	Government, later opposition
1998	12th Lok Sabha		388	182 / 543	21	25.59%	5.30%	Coalition
1999	13th Lok Sabha		339	182 / 543		23.75%	1.84%	Coalition
2004	14th Lok Sabha		364	138 / 543	44	22.16%	1.69%	Opposition
2009	15th Lok Sabha	Lal Krishna Advani	433	116 / 543	22	18.80%	3.36%	Opposition
2014	16th Lok Sabha	Narendra Modi	428	282 / 543	166	31.34%	12.54%	Government
2019	17th Lok Sabha		436	303 / 543	21	37.46%	6.12%	Government
2024	18th Lok Sabha		441	240 / 543	63	36.56%	0.8%	Coalition

Presence in States and Union Territories

As of June 2024, the BJP has Chief Ministers and leads governments in 13 states. Sometimes, these governments include allied parties. The 13 states are:

• Arunachal Pradesh
• Assam (with Asom Gana Parishad and United People's Party Liberal)
• Chhattisgarh
• Goa
• Gujarat
• Haryana
• Madhya Pradesh
• Manipur (with Naga People's Front)
• Odisha
• Rajasthan
• Tripura (with Tipra Motha Party)
• Uttar Pradesh (with Apna Dal (Sonelal))
• Uttarakhand

In 5 other states and in Puducherry, the BJP is a junior partner in the ruling alliance with other members of the National Democratic Alliance. These states are:

• Andhra Pradesh (with Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena Party)
• Bihar (with Janata Dal (United))
• Maharashtra (with Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, and other small parties)
• Meghalaya (with the National People's Party, United Democratic Party and Hill State People's Democratic Party)
• Nagaland (with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party)
• Puducherry (with the All India N.R. Congress)

The BJP's ally, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, holds power in Sikkim, but the BJP does not have ministers in that government.

The BJP has also held power in Karnataka, Delhi, and Jharkhand in the past. It has never held power in Kerala, Telangana, and West Bengal.

The BJP is also part of a regional alliance in Northeast India called the North-East Democratic Alliance.

List of Prime Ministers

Two leaders from the BJP have served as Prime Minister of India.

No.	Portrait	Prime minister	Constituency	Term in office			Lok Sabha	Cabinet
				Start	End	Tenure
1		Atal Bihari Vajpayee	Lucknow	16 May 1996	1 June 1996	16 days	11th	Vajpayee I
				19 March 1998	22 May 2004	6 years, 64 days	12th	Vajpayee II
							13th	Vajpayee III
2		Narendra Modi	Varanasi	26 May 2014	Incumbent	11 years, 48 days	16th	Modi I
							17th	Modi II
							18th	Modi III

List of Current Chief Ministers

As of June 2024, 12 people from the Bharatiya Janata Party are serving as chief ministers in various states.

Incumbent Chief Ministers from the BJP

No.	State	Portrait	Name	Cabinet	Governing coalition
1	Arunachal Pradesh		Pema Khandu	Khandu IV		BJP
						NPP
2	Assam		Himanta Biswa Sarma	Sarma		BJP
						AGP
						UPPL
3	Chhattisgarh		Vishnudeo Sai	Sai		BJP
4	Goa		Pramod Sawant	Sawant II		BJP
						MGP
						IND
5	Gujarat		Bhupendrabhai Patel	Patel II		BJP
6	Haryana		Nayab Singh Saini	Saini		BJP
						HLP
						IND
7	Madhya Pradesh		Mohan Yadav	Yadav		BJP
8	Manipur		N. Biren Singh	Singh II		BJP
						NPP
						NPF
						IND
9	Odisha		Mohan Charan Majhi	Majhi		BJP
10	Rajasthan		Bhajan Lal Sharma	Sharma		BJP
11	Tripura		Manik Saha	Saha II		BJP
						IPFT
12	Uttar Pradesh		Yogi Adityanath	Adityanath II		BJP
						AD(S)
						NP
13	Uttarakhand		Pushkar Singh Dhami	Dhami II		BJP

See also

In Spanish: Partido Popular Indio para niños